07 September 2007

Thom Gunn

[from Thom Gunn's The Man with Night Sweats, 1992]

Odysseus on Hermes&nbsp&nbsp his afterthought

I was seduced by innocence— beard scarcely visible on his chin —by the god within.The incompletion of youthlike the new limb of the cactus growing— soft-green — not fully formedthe spines still soft and living,potent in potential,in process and sostill open to the god.&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp When complete and settled&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp then closed to the god.So sensing it in himI was seduced by the god,becoming in my thick maturitysuddenly unsettled&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp un-solidstill being formed —in the vulnerability, edges flowing,myself open to the god.

I took his drugand all came out right in the story.Still thinking backI seek to renew that powerso easily gotseek to find again that knackof opening my settled features,creased on themselves,to the astonishing kiss and giftof the wily god to the wily man.